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From Obinna Odogwu, Awka
Anambra State Government has announced the closure of all the primary and secondary schools in the flooded communities and other flood prone areas in the state.
Some towns, especially in Ogbaru Local Government Area have been flooded due to the overflow of River Niger. It’s a similar situation in Anambra West and other LGAs.
Commissioner for Education, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, in a public service announcement released by her aide, Chioma Unachukwu, said that the closure of the schools became necessary to ensure the safety of the schoolchildren.
“I am directed to convey the Honourable Commissioner’s approval for the closure of all schools in riverine and flood prone areas in the state with immediate effect in compliance with the already published 2021/2022 Special Academic Calendar for riverine and flood-prone areas in the state”, it partly reads.
Former representative of Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Afam Ogene, had lamented that the flooding had wreaked havoc in the LGA, saying that several communities have been submerged and residents displaced.
Ogene, who is the candidate of the Labour Party for House of Representatives in the 2023 polls, explained that the overflow of the River Niger which passed through the LGA caused the flooding.
According to him, houses, farms and business centres in the LGA were badly affected. Some of them, according to him, were Ogwu Ikpele, Akili Ogidi, Obeagwe, Ossomala, Umunankwo, Ogbakuba, Ochuche, Akili Ozizor, Atani, Ohita and Odekpe, Amiyi, Iyiowa, Ogbeukwu, Okoti and parts of Okpoko.
“It is pathetic. It is a terrible sight in Ogbaru as a result of the flood disaster. The human and environmental conditions here are absolutely pathetic and require urgent action from the government in order to alleviate the sufferings of the despondent victims, most of whom have lost all their belongings to the flood disaster”, he lamented.
The ex-lawmaker called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to urgently send relief materials to the affected towns.
“I, therefore, call on these agencies to rise up to their responsibilities and bring urgent succour to the people of Ogbaru, who are currently besieged by flooding, so as to avert the outbreak of health challenges associated with such incident.
“Most of them urgently need food, clothing materials, beddings, medical supplies and shelter”, Ogene appealed.
